As I stated in the "Weekly Read" thread, I think I have my first X-Men title to cut. I am actually surprised I lasted as long as I did without cutting at least one book from my reading list. The X books have not meant anything to me in quite a long time, but with this ANAD whatever thing Marvel did I decided to at least try to get back into them. Even knowing that the X books are to be set on the outer-edge of the Marvel Universe and not have any major roll in the MU or any of its stories (as to not promote the characters ... for FOX to make money off of ... yeah, that's a thing), I jumped in thinking that may actually help me get back into them. Not having to worry about a tie-in here or there (unless it was within the X titles themselves).

But I think it is time to make the first cut. Go from five X-Titles down to four. And Extraordinary X-Men is the first casualty. From its art that often times looks confusing to me, as I sometimes can't see what the artist (Humberto Ramos) wants me to see to the fact I just don't care about most of the characters on this team, it is time.

As for the characters, I don't care about Forge ... not in the way they use him. I don't care about Anole. I don't care about the skeleton dude, Glob Herman, I don't care about older Bobby Iceman, I don't care about Storm ... now ... I use to. I don't care about Majik that much, I don't care about this silent Nightcrawler. To be honest, the only character than intrigues me is the reformed Sentinel. I really like her/him. As for the rest, Jean is Jean (Meh) and Old Man Logan is still just Wolverine so yeah ...

Extraordinary is not so, for me.

The other four titles are still going pretty well:Old Man Logan is still a fun little romp, but now that he is [spoiler redacted] I am not sure what's in store for usWolverine is fun, but I am just now getting to know this character, X-23, so there is learning to doAll New X-Men is kinda like taking a trip back to simpler times. I enjoy that. It is like reading a late 80's X-MenandUncanny is just a good book. Greg Lands art is not putting a damper on this at all. It really is what an X-Men book should be like. This is the X book to read if you like the team mutant aspect. I am not a Land fan, well, not a fan of his trace/copy stuff, his older stuff was okay, but again, he is not spoiling this book for me. Your mileage may vary of course.

I have a few things to say on this topic but have rush off. I will try to remember to come back.

Logged

"If I could go back in time and like tell 11 year old me that like not only do you get to go to Comic Con but you go every year. So much so that you get greeted by Stan Lee when you show up. And 11 year old me would be like - How did we get so fat?" - Kevin Smith

Well again, buddy, all the Marvel titles reset 8 months later, and I know that is your point about One Year Later, but you're not suppose to know the answers to all those questions yet. We didn't know a lot of answers at the start of One Year Later either, did we?

Now, the thing is ... will you ever have the answers before Marvel changes the script?

IIRC the bamfs (there were a bunch of them) showed up during Jason Aarons run on WatXM a few yrs back. they also had something to do with nightcrawlers return from the dead. I think this might be the last one

Angel went all cosmic during a crossover with GotG. some kind of siege perilous type device.

Well, I am currently reading four X-Men books (sometimes all five if the mood strikes), and after these titles end and THESE new titles start, in "Spring of 2017", it looks like I will be reading five of the new ones. At least I think I will. Creative teams may influence me to add more than that or may do the opposite and allow me to cut more than I thought, or of course make me have some mixture of the two.

What I plan on getting, pre-creative team announcements are:

X-Men GoldX-Men BlueGeneration XWeapon XIce-Man

I just have no interest in Cable (never have), though I may try the first couple issues to see if he grabs me Jean Grey is just another female lead book starring a character I have no interest in. There seems to be a lot of Female lead books currently (Black Widow, Gwen-Pool, Hellcat, Jessica Jones, Mockingbird, Moon Girl, Ms. Marvel, Scarlet-Witch, Squirrel-Girl, Silk, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Woman, Thor, Wolverine and the just canceled A-Force) as Marvel tries to reach out to the female audience and get more double x chromosome readers . Some of them I really enjoy but most I ... just no. And the bad news is the sales for most of them are just not there, with only Thor, Spider-Gwen and Wolverine having sales over 30k and Ms. Marvel and Gwen-Pool being the only remaining titles over the 21k mark. (Black Widow was there last month at 24k, for August's sales, but don't see her in Septembers sales.) 6 out of 15 does not equate to a great demand for the books.(Even though comparing those "Female" lead books alone in a vacuum does not equate to anything really, as Marvel has plenty of "Male" lead books well below those numbers too.)

But back to these x books ...

Some of these look to be pretty much the same book that is currently being published now, but maybe not. I mean from the look of it, X-Men Blue could very well just be the All-New X-Men book (with the original X team) while X-Men Gold seems to be a mix of Uncanny X-Men, but more Extraordinary X-Men mainly. The Weapon X book looks to be just like the current Wolverine, but hopefully more extended in characters. Maybe.

What scares me is there may be more titles to come and Marvel will push me out of the X-Books once again. I just can't keep up with 11 X-titles a month. I just can't. And no, I couldn't keep uo with even 4 Inhuman titles, so don't go there either Marvel.

I'm sure I'll try them all. I even like this version of Jean Gray so I'll keep my fingers crossed. Like you though, I don't want a million X series. They are always best when kept to tight knit.

Logged

"If I could go back in time and like tell 11 year old me that like not only do you get to go to Comic Con but you go every year. So much so that you get greeted by Stan Lee when you show up. And 11 year old me would be like - How did we get so fat?" - Kevin Smith

I also like this version of Jean Grey. Just not sure why she deserves her own title though. Is there really a need for it other than to promote the "Looky over here guys!! We at Marvel have yet another female lead title! Look at us try."

Not saying that I don't like the idea of female lead books because I do (and I can't wait for the new She-Hulk book), but Jean Grey? really?

But I guess that one has the greatest chance of surviving being an X-Book. I mean would I like a MoonDragon comic? Hells Yeah!!!! A more adult focused, not as jovial, HellCat comic? Oh man do I wish that one!!! A Dagger comic? you bet! And for Christ's sake where the heck is my Valkyrie comic? I mean really? No Valkyrie?

But we get Jean Grey. Which with my luck will have the best writing and art duo of the bunch and I will come back and talk about how much I am in love with this Jean Grey title.

Exactly! I was just telling my wife today how stupid it is what Marvel is doing with Wolverine and Thor. There are so many great female characters that Marvel already has that deserve their own series with top creators like Jason Aaron. I want MY Thor back!

Logged

"If I could go back in time and like tell 11 year old me that like not only do you get to go to Comic Con but you go every year. So much so that you get greeted by Stan Lee when you show up. And 11 year old me would be like - How did we get so fat?" - Kevin Smith

Well the creative teams and line-up for the X-Men Gold and Blue titles have been announced and yeah, Marvel chose the only person they could have chosen to be the writer of X-Men Gold ... of course they did. Thanks Marvel !!

Still give both a shot, more for that I like both artists, so that helps, but man, that history I have with this writer means there is a good chance I will not be on the Gold title for more than one issue, but I will give it the ole' college try.

Also, Ice-Man's book info HERE. I don't remember reading anything from this writer, but the title has another artist I like, so that is a plus.

Ugh. I'm afraid my X-days are numbered. I really haven't liked anything Marvel has done with the mutants since killing Professor X (again). I read more out of nostalgia for the old days but those characters don't really exist anymore. No Prof X, no Cyclops, no Wolverine. There's no one left with any kind of vision to lead the teams anymore. Kitty is an interesting choice and she is already on her way to being that leader, so maybe there is hope.

Logged

"If I could go back in time and like tell 11 year old me that like not only do you get to go to Comic Con but you go every year. So much so that you get greeted by Stan Lee when you show up. And 11 year old me would be like - How did we get so fat?" - Kevin Smith

The only thing I like is that Marvel is now bringing back the X-Men as Heroes and not just a fill-in. They have finally realized, after negotiating with FOX , that the Inhumans are not going to replace the Mutants and so they have given up on that goal.

The X-books are now going back to fighting the people they should be fighting, bad guys, in stories that mean something. Not like the current Marvel X-Book Mandate of "stay in your own corner, don't step into the Marvel U proper, and don't tell any stories that mean something".

What you are reading (possibly) in MU right now are just bland mutant stories. Well, other than Uncanny X-Men which is actually telling a good story and Old Man Logan who is also telling a story of some consequence. But the others? New X-Men, Extraordinary X-Men and Wolverine? Just riding the fence. Trying not to upset the apple cart.

Jeff, everyone, this is good news. This will be the closest thing I have seen to a return of the X-Books that I can remember in a long time. Yes, I am not happy about some writing choices but the mutants can at least now be a part of the Marvel Universe again and thus be relevant. Even if I am hoping they tone down the amount of Mutants, I am hopeful that this will be a return to (semi) greatness.